He put a hand to the back of his head and smiled shaking his head,
“Sorry to hear about the fall,” he said, I slightly shuddered as my brow furrowed.
“You heard about that?” I asked with a whine to my voice.
The last thing I wanted was the whole school and this boy to know I had failed.
He looked up to me quickly catching the tone of my voice,
“Not from other students but I help out Mr. Sheplar’s class and he told me what happened because he plans on having another mage student present next time to help out because he could not concentrate on two student’s safety at the same time.” Keten’s explanation felt suddenly like he was trying to hide how nervous he was.
Could he possibly be the opposite of how mind dead I became when he was nervous? Was he nervous? Why would he be nervous around wild haired, lost and slightly not in fashion me. As if sensing the lingering of the moment as we both looked to the floor though he suddenly looked up and nodded taking his hand from his neck.
“Hey we haven’t studied together yet.” He said out of the blue.
I looked up and a slight bubble of laughter caught in my throat as I spoke,
“It’s the second day of school.” I said and the moment we both looked at each other we were laughing.
His laugh was soft, yet deep and I felt it was calmer than Zac’s as my laughter was a little more than controlled or pretty.
Wiping his eye Keten shook his head as we quieted,
“Maybe we could study sometime soon, so it’s more than the second day?” He asked and I smiled slightly as footsteps behind me felt drowned out.
I nodded and realized how nothing clouded or obscured my mind in this moment even though I did worry about my face and hair, Keten’s laughter was something I wanted to hear again, even now.
“I would love to.” I said and nodding, he motioned down the hall.
“Good. How’s tomorrow sound?” He asked seemingly undeterred and I smiled as he seemed to glance at something behind me.
I let a wisp of laughter escape my lips.
“Alright.” I said with a nod.
He turned to head down the hall where I had come from as he nodded.
“Then I’ll see you at eight,” he said and started walking down the hall as he waved goodbye and I waved back.
By the time I stopped waving I realized two people were slowly making their way here as Keten smiled and said hello to Alissa and Zac who were close enough they had to have heard at least half of what was said only moments before. Wait, what had been said moments before?
I felt like I was halfway on a cloud and the other half felt like my knees wanted to buckle under me.
After passing Keten, Alissa looked to me with a cat grin and Zac just seemed chill and clueless as they approached.
I saw the way Keten glanced back at me and the moment he realized I was still watching him, he smiled and waved again as I waved to him feeling suddenly like I was swaying.
“Well, I would say I was sorry for making you wait but I think you did just fine without us.” Alissa said, her lips held in a grin.
Zac, still clueless nodded down the hall Keten had first come from as he swished his glass screen that showed a fencing match.
“C’mon I have three assignments already, let’s get a move on.” he said and kept walking, making both Alissa and I start into a small jog to catch up to him as he turned down the hall.
Once we were by his side, the hall went on for a good distance, Alissa grinned at me, though I was slightly dazed as I realized I had; First of all, said yes to studying together with Keten and second, I was blatantly cloud headed as my father called it.
“So, you don’t know him but you’re already going on a date after the second day?” Alissa slyly asked from the side.
Zac looked over and I felt hot red blush catch on my cheeks, my mouth opened but Alissa and Zac laughed. Not at me but as a friend would as they tried to stop themselves.
“We’re just studying together is all.” I said trying to reign in the hot mess of blush that made me feel brighter than the floors as they glowed.
Alissa raised an eyebrow at me with an unbelieving look as Zac chuckled,
“It’s your second day and your only homework is if you’re in fencing or you play some musical instrument. Neither were on your list.” He said eyeing me over.
The fact he remembered my list made me suddenly slightly suspicious, but Alissa elbowed his arm.
“Don’t question her. They are ‘Studying together.” Alissa clawed the air with her fingers as if to convey that they meant far more than that.
Feeling slightly ashamed, I blushed, turning to them as Zac seemed to suddenly understand.
“Guys, honestly we’re just studying together.” I said to them.
Zac looked to me as we turned left down a small hall that ended at a wall leading left and right.
“What is he helping you with then?” Zac asked with a sly grin as he leaned forward to see past Alissa.
I opened my mouth too quickly,
“He asked me.” I said without thinking.
Zac and Alissa shared a significant glance and grin like a band of thieves.
“So, what are you helping him with?” Alissa pressed casually as she looked at me from the side.
“I...” Again, my voice worked but against me as again the temperature rose in my cheeks.
Alissa laughed softly and put an arm around my shoulder as I looked up to her and Zac,
“Quil, chill, we were just messing with you.” She said as they both looked slightly apologetic as she nodded to Zac.
“More or less.” He said shrugging with a wide grin.
We both started toward him and immediately he started into a sprint grinning as he ran making us start into a chase after him.
Chapter 13
“Shadows and Letters”
Alissa and I raced around the corner in pursuit of Zac when I skidded to a halt at an L that was next to the atrium. It still looked slightly fogged within as if a soap bubble that was almost larger than life.
Completely oblivious to Alissa as she raced by catching up to Zac and smacking his head as I walked to the wall of shifting magical waves. A lingering awe held within me as my fingers reached out to touch the water-like form.
“QUIL, come on!” Alissa called laughing, “I’ve got him right here for you to punch!” She called, bringing me out of thought.
Turning to them, I realized a soft glow lingered under my shirt from the crystal; my hand moved to it. I had almost forgotten about it as I told it to stop glowing immediately.
Looking to Alissa, she held Zac by his shirt collar with both of them laughing as a sudden feeling pierced through me.
I instinctively whirled around, down the hall a shadow seemed to have jumped back around the corner.
My heart suddenly felt less like a flittering thing and more like it had only been faked to believe I could feel completely care free. Even inside La’ket.
Walking nearly backwards I took off down the hall, glancing over my shoulder as I pinpointed the feeling I had felt. There had been someone watching me.
“Hey, let’s keep going.” I said, slightly worried as I glanced behind me again, though no shadow seemed to disappear around the corner this time.
Zac and Alissa slowed their play fighting and looked to me as I glanced back with a sobering grimace holding my features.
“Everything ok?” Alissa asked walking over to me, looking down the hall to where I glanced sporadically.
Biting my lip I turned back to them as they glanced at one another.
“Ya, I just thought I saw... something.” I said looking behind me before shaking my head to dispel the idea.
I suddenly wondered if I was just being too caught up in a dream, feeling that my mind had been tricked somehow yet the feeling held within me of being watched.
“I don’t think any ghost haunt the school.” Zac said in a flat tone.
>
Alissa swung at him and they both laughed lightly, but my eyes kept glancing over my shoulder as we started moving again. The feeling of being watched was something my father always said he felt and now I wondered if I could feel the same or if I was just being paranoid like him.
“Who did you think you saw?” Alissa finally asked as we got closer to the market room.
Looking up to her I realized I did not want to sound worried about people following me. The last thing I needed was questions about why I would worry about people following me.
“I thought it was Jack.” I said glancing at the softly swaying reflection it made on the atriums shifting walls.
A hitting noise caught my attention and I looked up to see Zac with a fist against his other hand as a smile softly caught his lips.
“If he was following us and I caught him I would teach that punk a lesson.” he said nodding.
Alissa rolled her eyes and looked to me, putting a hand to my arm.
“Though Zac may be pushing it a little far, he’s not going to try anything here. It would get him expelled.” She said nodding and then glanced ahead, “Come on, let’s get out of these creepy halls. Especially this one, with the atrium and all..” she said shivering as she glanced to the bubble like wall.
Behind the glimmering magic it looked like a misty field was close enough to see but couldn’t be reached or explored.
Nodding, we started moving again and as we entered the glowing market room. I could not keep from glancing back one last time before losing sight of the hall.
The market room was lit up beyond its previous appearance before all the students had arrived.
“Still as adorable as ever.” Alissa sighed as she grinned.
Zac acted unimpressed and seemed to come along with us for fun as we made our way through the small risers and levels of medieval carts with bubbles protecting them.
My fears for the moment lost in the array of items as the room was filled with students talking and traversing the shops and levels of carts.
“Come on! The cart for writing supplies is over this way!” Alissa said, motioning for us to hurry as she ran.
Zac and I started into a jog.
“It’s not like it’s going anywhere!” Zac called after her and I giggled as he looked to me and rolled his eyes as she just waved off his words.
By the time we made it to the little stand Alissa was turned to the cart engrossed in the items behind the bubble’s sheen, though she motioned for us to come closer.
“Quil, look at this,” she said and I walked over still clutching my shoulder bag’s strap in tension as we stood side by side.
“Right there, look at that wax seal.” She said with a smile pointing to a little golden wax seal that below, showed what it would look like pressed into hot wax.
It was a Skyjump seal that was beautifully intricate and made my heart both race and throb as if it could not decide if it longed more to be running as such a beast or wanted to have such an item for letters.
My smile soon faded as I looked at it and suddenly wondered why Alissa would think I would want it.
“It’s nice.” I said, trying to come back from how desperately in love I was with the idea of owning it.
Alissa and Zac both looked at each other in front of me and tilted their heads.
“What? I mean it’s nice and all I just don’t know why it would be something I would want.” I tried to both tell myself and them as I shrugged.
Alissa raised her eyebrow,
“So… you don’t mind if I buy it then?” She asked with a smile as she put her hand into the water-like layer of the bubble and reached for it.
There was only one Skyjump crest left at the little cart stand and I had the distinct feeling that the things on them changed and did not just get restocked as shelves in a store would.
I gulped down a lump in my throat and nodded, trying to control my emotions as I imagined what my father would think of a seal like that. Would he enjoy it as much as I did?
“Not at all.” I mustered but my voice did little to sound convincing, yet Alissa seemed eager enough that my tone did not matter.
Picking up the crest she pulled her arm out of the cart’s protective layer and a soft tinkling sounded as Alissa raised her hand, her crystal dangling its bracelet.
My chest felt tight as I watched Alissa hold the wax seal.
“Here.” she said and held out the seal to me.
I looked up to her face and saw that same sisterly smile on her lips as when she had told me about Clara and thanked me.
“I, I can’t take it. It’s yours.” I said, knowing I had just fallen over my words.
Zac eyed me over as they shared another glance, Alissa took my hand and placed the seal in it.
I opened my mouth to protest but Alissa spoke first.
“Quil, don’t even lie to us about how much you love SkyJumping. Anyone who’s looking can see the way it kills you to try and cover it up.” She said kindly, and Zac nodded beside her as she pulled back her hand with a satisfied grin.
Looking down to my hand I felt the weight of the small object as my lips moved to find a way to deny it as my eyes moved back to their faces.
“I can’t take it.” I said with a soft smile as I tried to hand it back to Alissa.
She lifted her hands up into the air and nodded to it.
“You didn’t take it, I gave it to you,” she said and lowered her hands as my hand came back before me, “Think of it as a thank you from my family for what you did for Clara.” She said, nodding.
Glancing up, I felt tears catch in my eyes as they both smiled at me with sincere friendship I had yet to ever feel until this moment.
Shaking my head, I smiled as I wiped at my eyes.
“Thank you.” I said and moved forward and hugged them, “Both of you.” I said with a slight laugh as Zac felt stiff.
I had no need to know that Alissa and Zac smiled behind my back. I felt I had finally found two real friends, nearly by accident as I pulled back from them with both of them smiling.
Standing back and looking at each other Alissa suddenly turned aside and pointed down the hall.
“Come on, we still have to get paper and wax!” She said with excitement and Zac folded his arms and rolled his eyes.
“Still have homework to do you know.” Zac said bringing back his light moodiness as he scowled.
Alissa and I both broke into laughter and Zac eventually cracked a smile though the moment we saw it, he folded his arms and tried to act like he had not, which only added to our giggles.
By the time Alissa and I had chosen stationary, Zac had left us saying he would see us tomorrow and that we were taking too long. We had walked back to the girl’s wing chatting about life. I found out Alissa had two younger brothers and that her family lived a little way out of Zeppelin in the more rural desert area that was on the way to get to the school.
I suddenly understood why Zac’s remark about her sister coming to meet me could happen and when I said so we both had another small spurt of laughter take us. By the time we got back to the girls wing it was dark with the stars on the ceiling twinkling, as we both marveled.
“Part of me wishes I was even a tenth percent mage, ya know?” Alissa asked at my side as we looked up in wonder.
I felt taken by her words, I had magic and I was also a Skyjump and suddenly I hated the fact that before this moment I had hated the idea of being a simple human. It seemed rude now to have thought that a simple human was boring.
“Hey, we’re all unique, right?” I asked with a smile as I nodded to her.
She looked over to me and smiled.
“Ya, you’re right. Ah, I guess it’s off to write a letter to my sister and family.” She said with roll of her eyes.
I let a soft bubble of laughter escape my lips and nodded.
“I’ll write to Clara tonight, too, so you can send it with that letter.” I said as Alissa nodded.
“Alrig
ht, but if you just say who you are and write your name it would be enough to send her talking about it for a month and annoying my parents and little brothers to death.” She said looking to the ceiling with a sigh.
I nodded as we started to go our separate ways.
“Okay, I’ll make extra sure to tell who I am.” I said and Alissa nodded with a tired smile.
“Night!” She waved.
Turning, I waved back as she started off to a room right across from the main area.
Taking the slightly aglow path back to my room I felt at ease. It no longer felt like I was trapped, even though I was stuck inside. I had a whole new world of people, friends and classes that filled my time.
Coming to my door, it automatically opened without need of taking out my crystal. Again, I cursed how my happy attitude made it glow and seemed to emit magic.
When I shut the door and turned to my room that lovely little feeling slightly shifted as if my perfect world slanted, the room was just so small!
I let a soft sigh escape my lips as I took off my shoes and pulled my shoulder bag from around my shoulder and came to my desk, turning on my lamp that lit up my room in a soft glow that gave it a gentler feeling. Taking the paper from my bag that I had gotten at the market room, it was a light blue color with a crescent moon in the top left and bottom right corner with fancy swirls decorating the sides.
Though I felt tired, I wanted to write to Clara before I fell into bed, knowing there was no prayer of waking before classes as I had barely made it this morning.
Pulling a feather pen that looked like a quill but had a modern pen stylus, I tilted my head at the sheet of paper and considered what I wanted to say. The wax Skyjump seal caught my eye and I smiled thinking how wonderful today had gone, from Keten meeting up with me again to Alissa and Zac’s friendship.
I felt as if I had an empty place in my chest my whole life not being able to stay long enough to know people like them. Here I had all year and well, maybe more.
A smile crossed my lips and I knew that once I received a letter from my father I would have to tell him I might consider staying here for more than one semester. Wouldn’t he be surprised. The thought was ended with a thought of Keten’s plan for us to study tomorrow that made me suddenly feel wide awake.
Sky Jump Page 14
